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For Immediate Release
February, 01 2022, 07:05am EDT
Contact:
Norman Solomon, norman@rootsaction.
Medea Benjamin, medea.benjamin@gmail.com,
100 U.S. Organizations Release Statement Urging Biden "to End the U.S. Role in Escalating" the Ukraine Crisis
More than 100 national and regional U.S. organizations released a joint statement Tuesday urging President Biden "to end the U.S. role in escalating the extremely dangerous tensions with Russia over Ukraine." The groups said "it is gravely irresponsible for the president to participate in brinkmanship between two nations that possess 90 percent of the world's nuclear weapons."
The statement warned that the current crisis "could easily spiral out of control to the point of pushing the world to the precipice of nuclear war."
WASHINGTON
More than 100 national and regional U.S. organizations released a joint statement Tuesday urging President Biden "to end the U.S. role in escalating the extremely dangerous tensions with Russia over Ukraine." The groups said "it is gravely irresponsible for the president to participate in brinkmanship between two nations that possess 90 percent of the world's nuclear weapons."
The statement warned that the current crisis "could easily spiral out of control to the point of pushing the world to the precipice of nuclear war."
Release of the statement came with an announcement of a virtual news conference set for Wednesday morning -- with speakers including a former U.S. ambassador to Moscow, Jack F. Matlock Jr.; The Nation editorial director Katrina vanden Heuvel, who is president of the American Committee for U.S.-Russia Accord; and Martin Fleck, representing Physicians for Social Responsibility. Journalists can sign up to attend the Noon EST Feb. 2 news conference via Zoom by clicking here -- https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pIoKDszBQ8Ws8A8TuDgKbA -- and will then receive a confirmation email with an access link.
Organizations signing the statement included Physicians for Social Responsibility, RootsAction.org, Code Pink, Just Foreign Policy, Peace Action, Veterans For Peace, Our Revolution, MADRE, Progressive Democrats of America, American Committee for U.S.-Russia Accord, Pax Christi USA, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Center for Citizen Initiatives, and the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security.
Outreach for the statement was coordinated by Code Pink and RootsAction.org. Below is the statement's full text.
_____________________
A Statement from U.S. Organizations on the Ukraine Crisis
[ February 1, 2022 ]
As organizations representing millions of people in the United States, we call upon President Biden to end the U.S. role in escalating the extremely dangerous tensions with Russia over Ukraine. It is gravely irresponsible for the president to participate in brinkmanship between two nations that possess 90 percent of the world's nuclear weapons.
For the United States and Russia, the only sane course of action now is a commitment to genuine diplomacy with serious negotiations, not military escalation - which could easily spiral out of control to the point of pushing the world to the precipice of nuclear war.
While both sides are to blame for causing this crisis, its roots are entangled in the failure of the U.S. government to live up to its promise made in 1990 by then-Secretary of State James Baker that NATO would expand not "one inch to the East." Since 1999, NATO has expanded to include numerous countries, including some that border Russia. Rather than dismissing out of hand the Russian government's current insistence on a written guarantee that Ukraine will not become part of NATO, the U.S. government should agree to a long-term moratorium on any NATO expansion.
Signing organizations
Physicians for Social Responsibility
RootsAction.org
CODEPINK
Just Foreign Policy
Peace Action
Veterans For Peace
Our Revolution
MADRE
Progressive Democrats of America
American Committee for US-Russia Accord
Pax Christi USA
Fellowship of Reconciliation
Center for Citizen Initiatives
Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security
Alaska Peace Center
Arise for Social Justice
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
Backbone Campaign
Baltimore Nonviolence Center
Baltimore Peace Action
BDSA Internationalism Committee
Benedictines for Peace
Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists
Beyond Nuclear
Campaign Nonviolence
Casa Baltimore Limay
Chapter 9 Veterans For Peace, Smedley Butler Brigade
Chicago Area Peace Action
Cleveland Peace Action
Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach
Community Peacemaker Teams
Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety
Continuing the Peace Dialogue
Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, Washington DC
Eisenhower Media Project
End the Wars Coalition, Milwaukee
Environmentalists Against War
First Unitarian Society - Madison Justice Ministries
Food Not Bombs
Foreign Policy In Focus
Frack Free Four Corners
Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution
Global Exchange
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
Grassroots International
Hawaii Peace and Justice
Historians for Peace and Democracy
Interfaith Peace Working Group
International Tribunal of Conscience
Just World Educational
Kalamazoo Nonviolent Opponents of War
Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Maryland Peace Action
Massachusetts Peace Action
Metta Center for Nonviolence
Monroe County Democrats
MPower Change Fund
Muslim Delegates and Allies
National Lawyers Guild (NLG) International
New Hampshire Veterans for Peace
New Jersey State Industrial Union Council
North Texas Peace Advocates
Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility
Other98
Pace e Bene
Parallax Perspectives
Partners for Peace Fort Collins
Peace Action of San Mateo County
Peace Action WI
Peace Education Center
PeaceWorkers
People for Bernie Sanders
Phil Berrigan Memorial Chapter, Baltimore, Veterans For Peace
Physicians for Social Responsibility, AZ Chapter
Prevent Nuclear War/ Maryland
Progressive Democrats of America, Tucson
Proposition One Campaign for a Nuclear Free Future
Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center
Safe Skies Clean Water Wisconsin
San Francisco Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility
San Jose Peace and Justice Center
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas - Justice Team
SolidarityINFOService
Traprock Center for Peace & Justice
United for Peace and Justice
United Nations Association, Milwaukee
Veterans For Peace, Russia Working Group
Veterans for Peace, Chapter 102
Veterans For Peace Chapter 111, Bellingham, WA
Veterans For Peace Chapter 113-Hawai'i
Veterans For Peace Linus Pauling Chapter 132
Veterans For Peace - NYC Chapter 34
Veterans For Peace - Santa Fe Chapter
Veterans Peace Team
Western North Carolina Physicians for Social Responsibility
Western States Legal Foundation
Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice
Women Cross DMZ
Women Against Military Madness
Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual (WATER)
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom US
Women Transforming Our Nuclear Legacy
World BEYOND War
350 Milwaukee
RootsAction is dedicated to galvanizing people who are committed to economic fairness, equal rights for all, civil liberties, environmental protection -- and defunding endless wars. We mobilize on these issues no matter whether Democrats or Republicans control Washington D.C.
CODEPINK is a women-led grassroots organization working to end U.S. wars and militarism, support peace and human rights initiatives, and redirect our tax dollars into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming programs.
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'We're Not Scared': Freedom Flotilla Crew Approaches Gaza Despite New Israeli Threats
"Israel's Defense Minister has once again threatened unlawful force against civilians, attempting to justify violence with baseless smears," the crew members said. "We will not be intimidated."
Jun 08, 2025
As they drew nearer to Gaza on Sunday, the 12 crew members of the Freedom Flotilla vessel the Madleen remained undeterred in their mission to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave, even as an Israeli official issued new threats.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on social media Sunday afternoon that he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces "to act to prevent the Madleen hate flotilla from reaching the shores of Gaza—and to take whatever measures are necessary to that end."
"To the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propaganda spokespeople, I say clearly: You should turn back—because you will not reach Gaza," Katz said, referring to Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, one of the 12 people on board. "Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or assist terrorist organizations—at sea, in the air, and on land."
"What we face is nothing compared to what Palestinians in Gaza endure."
The crew members, however, said they would not turn back and that they hoped to reach Gaza by Monday.
"Israel's Defense Minister has once again threatened unlawful force against civilians, attempting to justify violence with baseless smears," the group posted on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Instagram. "We will not be intimidated."
"The Madleen is a peaceful civilian vessel, unarmed and sailing in international waters with humanitarian aid and human rights defenders. This mission is independent, guided only by conscience and solidarity with Gaza," the crew members wrote.
Posting at around 7:00 p.m. local time, they added that they were around 160 nautical miles from Gaza and had experienced brief signal jamming, but that their tracker was currently working again.
"We call on world governments to demand Israel stand down. It has no right to obstruct our mission or enforce its illegal and brutal blockade," they said.
Individual crew members also spoke out.
Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan said on social media that she expected Israel to illegally detain the crew members within 24 hours.
"When we are no longer able to communicate with you, I'm counting on you to continue the mobilization that has been so valuable to us throughout this journey," she said.
Hassen further toldAl Jazeera that the crew would "stay mobilized until the last minute until Israel cuts the internet and networks."
"We're not scared of them," German human rights activist and crew member Yasemin Acar said, as Al Jazeera reported. "The message they have been sending us—that we cannot come closer—is not making us step back."
Brazilian activist and crew member Thiago Avila told Al Jazeera that the crew had observed drones flying overhead.
"We know Israeli forces are prepared to confront us with weapons, but we are not afraid," he said, adding, "What we face is nothing compared to what Palestinians in Gaza endure."
Turkish crew member Huseyin Suayb, meanwhile, told Al Jazeera that spirits remained high.
"We are still heading toward Gaza, there is very little distance left. These are critical hours. God willing, we will be in Gaza tomorrow, as long as we do not face any obstruction," he said.
Al Jazeera correspondent Omar Faiad, also on board the Madleen, said the crew members were trying to prepare themselves for any scenario. There is reason for concern, as Israel has a history of attacking other ships that have attempted to reach Gaza to protest the blockade that Israel and Egypt have enforced around the strip since Hamas assumed control there in 2007.
In 2010, Israeli commandos killed nine activists on board the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara, and a 10th later died from sustained injuries. In May, drones damaged the Freedom Flotilla ship the Conscience as it sat in international waters off Malta, with activists attributing the attacks to Israel.
"They may attack us again, threaten us, or resort to personal violence. They may target our lives," Suayb told Al Jazeera. "But as you know, we've experienced this before. Even the slightest reflex shown in self-defence is labelled as a weapon, as terrorism. We are completely peaceful activists. Not a single one of us knows how to fight or use a weapon. We do not pose any kind of threat."
The Madleen set sail from Sicily on June 1, in protest not only of the long-standing blockade against Gaza but also the Israeli bombardment and restrictions of humanitarian aid into the strip since October 2023, which several human rights experts and organizations consider a genocide. Due to a total blockade of aid between March and May, aid organizations warn that Palestinians in Gaza are in danger of starvation, and the Madleen carries much-needed goods such as flour, rice, and baby formula.
"The Flotilla Giants are approaching Gaza, scheduled to arrive tomorrow," United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese wrote on social media Sunday afternoon. "It is not only the aid, it is the HUMANITY THEY CARRY. For all of us. May Israel not endanger them as with the previous flotilla. MAY THIS BE THE TIME ISRAEL LAYS DOWN THE GENOCIDAL MACHINERY."
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'A Declaration of War': Trump Sends National Guard to LA Over Anti-ICE Protests
"The Trump administration's baseless deployment of the National Guard is plainly retaliation against California, a stronghold for immigrant communities," one advocate said.
Jun 08, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard members in response to protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Los Angeles over the weekend, as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth threatened to call in the marines.
The protests kicked off on Friday in opposition to ICE raids of retail establishments around Los Angeles. During Friday's protests David Huerta, president of SEIU California and SEIU-United Service Workers West, was injured and then arrested while observing a raid. His arrest sparked further protests, which carried over into Saturday in response to apparent ICE activity in the nearby city of Paramount.
"The Trump administration's baseless deployment of the National Guard is plainly retaliation against California, a stronghold for immigrant communities, and is akin to a declaration of war on all Californians," Victor Leung, chief legal and advocacy officer at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation of Southern California, said in a statement.
"They yell 'invasion' at the border—but this is the real one: Trump is seizing control of California's National Guard and forcing 2,000 troops into our streets."
Saturday's most dramatic protest occurred outside a Home Depot in Paramount following rumors of an ICE raid there. However, Paramount Mayor Peggy Lemons told the Los Angeles Times that the ICE agents may instead have been staging at a nearby Department of Homeland Security (DHS) office. There were also rumors of an ICE raid on a meatpacking plant that never occurred.
"We don't know what was happening, or what their target was. To think that there would be no heightening of fear and no consequences from the community doesn't sound like good preparation to me," Lemons said. "Above all, there is no communication and things are done on a whim. And that creates chaos and fear."
According to the LA Times, the Home Depot protests began peacefully until officers lobbed flash-bang grenades and pepper balls at the crowd, after which some individuals responded by throwing rocks and other objects at the ICE cars, and one person drove their vehicle toward the ICE agents.
"Many of the protesters did not appear to engage in these tactics," the LA Times reported.
In another incident, Lindsay Toczylowski, the chief executive of Immigrant Defenders Law Center, wrote on social media that ICE agents threw a tear-gas canister at two of the center's female attorneys after they asked the agents if they could see a warrant and observe their activities.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said that over a dozen people were arrested on Saturday for interfering with the work of immigration agents.
The first member of the Trump administration to mention sending in the National Guard was White House border czar Tom Homan, who told Fox News, "We're gonna bring National Guard in tonight and we're gonna continue doing our job. This is about enforcing the law."
Trump then signed a memo Saturday night calling members of the California National Guard into federal service to protect ICE and other government officials.
"To the extent that protests or acts of violence directly inhibit the execution of the laws, they constitute a form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States," the memo reads in part.
"The only threat to safety today is the masked goon squads that the administration has deployed to terrorize the communities of Los Angeles County."
Instead of using the Insurrection Act, as some had speculated he might, Trump federalized the guard members under the president's Title 10 authority, which allows the president to place the National Guard under federal control given certain conditions, but does not allow those troops to carry out domestic law enforcement activities, which invoking the Insurrection Act would enable.
"On its face, then, the memorandum federalizes 2,000 California National Guard troops for the sole purpose of protecting the relevant DHS personnel against attacks," Georgetown University Law Center professor Steve Vladeck explained in a blog post Saturday. "That's a significant (and, in my view, unnecessary) escalation of events in a context in which no local or state authorities have requested such federal assistance. But by itself, this is not the mass deployment of troops into U.S. cities that had been rumored for some time."
Indeed, several state leaders spoke out against the deployment.
"The federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers," California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on social media Saturday. "That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions. LA authorities are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment's notice. We are in close coordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need."
"The Guard has been admirably serving LA throughout recovery," he continued, referring to the devastating wildfires that swept the city early this year. "This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust."
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) posted on social media that he "couldn't agree more."
"Using the National Guard this way is a completely inappropriate and misguided mission," Padilla said. "The Trump administration is just sowing more chaos and division in our communities."
Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.) added, "They yell 'invasion' at the border—but this is the real one: Trump is seizing control of California's National Guard and forcing 2,000 troops into our streets."
While the National Guard's mission is currently limited, Vladeck argued that there were three reasons to be "deeply concerned" about the development. First, troops could still respond to real or perceived threats with violence, escalating the situation; second, escalation may be the desired outcome from the Trump administration, and used as a pretext to invoke the Insurrection Act after all; and third, this could depress the morale of both National Guard members and the civilians they engage with while degrading the relationships between federal, local, and state authorities.
"There is something deeply pernicious about invoking any of these authorities except in circumstances in which their necessity is a matter of consensus beyond the president's political supporters," Vladeck wrote. "The law may well allow President Trump to do what he did Saturday night. But just because something is legal does not mean that it is wise—for the present or future of our Republic."
Leung of the ACLU criticized both the ICE raids and the decision to deploy the Guard.
"Workers in our garment districts or day laborers seeking work outside of Home Depot do not undermine public safety," Leung said. "They are our fathers and mothers and neighbors going about their day and making ends meet. Rather, the only threat to safety today is the masked goon squads that the administration has deployed to terrorize the communities of Los Angeles County."
He continued: "There is no rational reason to deploy the National Guard on Angelenos, who are rightfully outraged by the federal government's attack on our communities and justly exercising their First Amendment right to protest the violent separation of our families. We intend to file suit and hold this administration accountable and to protect our communities from further attacks."
National political leaders also spoke out Sunday morning.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) wrote on social media that it was "important to remember that Trump isn't trying to heal or keep the peace. He is looking to inflame and divide. His movement doesn't believe in democracy or protest—and if they get a chance to end the rule of law they will take it. None of this is on the level."
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) posted that the entire incident was "Trump's authoritarianism in real time."
Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth threatened further escalation Saturday night when he tweeted that "if violence continues, active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized—they are on high alert."
Newsom responded: "The Secretary of Defense is now threatening to deploy active-duty Marines on American soil against its own citizens. This is deranged behavior."
"This is an abuse of power and what dictators do. It's unnecessary and not needed."
Hegseth then doubled down on the threat Sunday morning, replying on social media that it was "deranged" to allow "your city to burn and law enforcement to be attacked."
"The National Guard, and Marines if need be, stand with ICE," he posted.
Journalist Ryan Grim noted that it was an "ominous development" for the secretary of defense to be commenting on immigration policy or local law enforcement at all.
Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.) said of Trump and Hegseth's escalations: "This is an abuse of power and what dictators do. It's unnecessary and not needed."
Writing on his Truth Social platform early Sunday, Trump praised the National Guard for their work in Los Angeles. Yet local and state leaders pointed out that the Guard had not yet arrived in the city by the time the post was made.
As of Sunday morning, the National Guard had arrived in downtown Los Angeles and Paramount, ABC 7reported.
In the midst of the uproar over Trump's actions, labor groups continued to decry the ICE raids and call for the release of Huerta.
National Nurses United wrote on Friday: "With these raids, the government is sowing intense fear for personal safety among our immigrant and migrant community. Nurses and other union workers oppose this, and are standing up in solidarity with fellow immigrant workers. We refuse to be silent, and people like David Huerta are bravely putting their own bodies on the line to bear witness to what ICE is doing. It's appalling that ICE injured and detained him while he was exercising his First Amendment rights. We demand his immediate release."
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond said in a statement Saturday:
The nearly 15 million working people of the AFL-CIO and our affiliated unions demand the immediate release of California Federation of Labor Unions Vice President and SEIU California and SEIU-USWW President David Huerta. As the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda has unnecessarily targeted our hard-working immigrant brothers and sisters, David was exercising his constitutional rights and conducting legal observation of ICE activity in his community. He was doing what he has always done, and what we do in unions: putting solidarity into practice and defending our fellow workers. In response, ICE agents violently arrested him, physically injuring David in the process, and are continuing to detain him—a violation of David's civil liberties and the freedoms this country holds dear. The labor movement stands with David, and we will continue to demand justice for our union brother until he is released.
The unrest in Los Angeles may continue as Barragán toldCNN on Sunday she had been informed that ICE would be present in LA for a month. She argued that the National Guard deployment would only inflame the conflict.
“We haven't asked for the help. We don't need the help. This is [President Trump] escalating it, causing tensions to rise. It's only going to make things worse in a situation where people are already angry over immigration enforcement."
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'They Deserve Safety': Tlaib Leads Letter Urging Rubio to Protect Gaza Freedom Flotilla
"We write to urge you to do everything in your power to ensure the safety of the ship and its unarmed, civilian passengers and the success of their peaceful, humanitarian mission to deliver lifesaving aid," the letter says.
Jun 07, 2025
As the Madleen drew closer to Gaza on its mission to deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave, Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib led a letter on Friday calling on the Trump administration to protect the Gaza Freedom Flotilla vessel and its 12 crew members.
"We write to urge you to do everything in your power to ensure the safety of the ship and its unarmed, civilian passengers and the success of their peaceful, humanitarian mission to deliver lifesaving aid," Tlaib (D-Mich.) and 10 other progressive lawmakers wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The lawmakers explained that their concern for the Madleen crew-members' safety stemmed "from the Israeli government's history of using lethal military force to prevent similar aid ships from arriving in Gaza."
In 2010, for example, Israeli commandos killed nine activists onboard the Mavi Marmara during a raid, including one U.S. citizen. A 10th crew member, who was injured, later died as well. And as recently as May, another flotilla vessel, the Conscience, was attacked by drones off of Malta.
Crew members aboard the Madleenissued a distress signal on June 4 as drones circled overhead. Responding to the current voyage, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin told reporters that the "IDF is prepared to operate on all fronts, including in the maritime arena," and said, "We will act accordingly," as The Jerusalem Post reported.
"We must be clear: Any attack on the Madleen or its civilian crew is a clear and blatant violation of international law," the U.S. lawmakers wrote.
"While the Trump administration and the international community fail to use their immense leverage to end this blockade, the activists on board the Madleen are an example of humanitarianism and solidarity."
The ship is carrying necessities including rice, flour, medical supplies, and baby formula to Gaza, which has endured more than 600 days of Israeli bombardment and whose 2 million people face starvation following a two-month total aid blockade imposed by Israel that was only lifted in May after international pressure. However, the amount of aid allowed to enter is still severely curtailed.
Several human rights experts and organizations agree that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza with its deadly assault, which has killed at least 61,709 people since October 2023.
Crew members on the Madleen include French- Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan and Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, whose presence has sparked threats from right-wing figures, including U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who wrote on social media, "Hope Greta and her friends can swim!"
Tlaib and the other lawmakers criticized those threats, writing, "This is a serious matter, and we are deeply disturbed by U.S. elected officials making threatening 'jokes' about violence against the civilians onboard."
They urged Rubio "to monitor the Madleen's journey and deter any such hostile actions."
The legislators concluded the letter by drawing attention to the reason the Madleen set sail in the first place:
Above all else, we urge you to address the issue at the root of this voyage: the brutal Israeli blockade and mass starvation of the Palestinian population of Gaza. We demand an immediate end to the blockade, an immediate resumption of unfettered humanitarian aid entry into Gaza, and an immediate and lasting cease-fire. While the Trump administration and the international community fail to use their immense leverage to end this blockade, the activists on board the Madleen are an example of humanitarianism and solidarity. They deserve safety, as does the besieged population of Gaza.
In addition to Tlaib, the letter was signed by Reps. Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-Ill.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Al Green (D-Texas), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)
Other political leaders have argued that international attention is the best way to protect the Madleen and its crew.
"The activists of the Madleen are risking their own lives to highlight the horrific cruelty of the Israeli government against the Palestinians in Gaza," wrote Irish senator Lynn Ruane. "If those seeking aid are targets, then so too are those seeking to bring that aid, so all eyes must be firmly on the Freedom Flotilla; their lives depend on it."
On Saturday, more than 200 members of parliament from Europe signed a letter to Israel urging it to guarantee the safety of all Madleen crew members, allow the ship to enter Gaza freely and safely, allow it to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, and lift its blockade on Gaza entirely.
"The world is watching," the European politicians wrote. "This is an opportunity to demonstrate respect for humanitarian law and human rights."
As of Saturday, the Madleen had reached the coast of Egypt.
"We are now sailing off the Egyptian coast," crew member and German human rights activist Yasemin Acar toldAgence France-Presse. "We are all good."
Hassan, meanwhile, called on global governments to "guarantee safe passage for the Freedom Flotilla."
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